The World Health Organization agreed a new voluntary global code of
practice on the ethical recruitment of international health personnel
that discourages countries from actively recruiting from poor nations
with critical staff shortages. The code is only the second such accord,
the first being the 1981 international code on marketing of breast milk
substitutes. There are severe shortages of health workers in 57 poor
nations--36 in Africa and the rest mainly in Southeast Asia. Sub-Saharan
Africa has only 3% of the world's health workforce, and 4.2 million
more health professionals are needed worldwide. The code, adopted by
ministers during the 2010 World Health Assembly, recommends countries
should "facilitate circular migration of health personnel (the
freedom for medical personnel who have emigrated to go back and forth
without restrictions)" so that skills and knowledge can benefit
both source and destination countries. All health sector stakeholders
are expected to implement the code. Although financial compensation is
not covered by the code, there is an expectation that donor countries
and international institutions will support poor countries for the loss
of personnel both with technical expertise and financing. There were
strong inputs from Brazil, Botswana, European Union, Kenya, Norway,
Philippines, South Africa, United Kingdom and Zambia. The code had been
under negotiation since 2004; the Obama administration took a softer
line than his predecessor, easing the way for compromise. The WHO is to
report in five years time on the code's implementation. (1)

(1.) Zaroeostas J. WHO agrees new code on ethical recruitment of
international health personnel. BMJ 2010;340:c2784.